Latin course for the Virtual School of Languages

Extra reading after lessons 21 / 22

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If you want to practise what you have learned in lesson 21 or 22, you can 
translate this text, which does not introduce new grammar. It's not a test and 
can be skipped completely. The first part of this story can be read with the
knowledge from lesson 21, for the second part you'll need knowledge from
lesson 22.

Mucius Scaevola, a hero I
(This is a handed-down legend set in the time when Rome was but
a small state threatened by the Etruscans:)
Porsinna cum copiis Etruscorum Romam diu obsidebat. Periculum
magnum erat; itaque cuncti Romani arma capessiverunt, cuncti magna
cum concordia adierunt. Neque tamen copias Etruscorum fugaverunt.
Tum Mucius Scaevola summam sibi gloriam paravit. Nam sine auxilio
solus ad propinqua castra Etruscorum exiit et Porsinnam gladio petivit.
Armati autem Porsinnae Mucium capessiverunt. Porsinna "Quid",
inquit, "in castris meis quaesivisti; cur mihi insidias paravisti?". Mucius
autem clamavit: "Adversarius adversarium petivit; nam te necare studeo.
Me quidem capessivisti, sed alii Romani te armis adibunt." 
(continued further down)
Reading vocabulary:
obsidere	- to besiege
castra, -orum (plural) - encampment
armatus - armed person


Mucius Scaevola, a hero II
Iam Porsinna, dominus severus et superbus, videt sibi magnum periculum
imminere, iam ira eum incitat, iam servis imperat: "Trahite Mucium ad foculum!". 
Sed is: "Id quidem", inquit, "tibi dico, tu autem crede mihi: Eae flammae 
me non terrent. Fortasse amici tui eas timent; me autem iis non franges.". 
Iam Porsinna, iam amici eius horrent: Quamquam enim Mucius dexteram in 
foculum porrigit, neque lacrimas in oculis eius vident apparetque eum non 
dolere. 
Postremo Porsinna "Bene!" inquit. "Liberate Mucium, amici! Date ei gladium!
Tu autem, Romane, abi!" Iam Porsinna non ignoravit se Romanos superare non 
posse, et statim Roma abiit.
Romani autem Mucium 'Scaevolam' vocabant, quod ei scaeva tantum erat.
Reading vocabulary:
foculus	   - basin of fire
flamma -    flame
dextera - the right (hand)
porrigere	   - to put in
Roma    - here: from Rome 
scaeva - the left (hand)